Status Run options for Perth based AFF

[wandering_fred]

The visa for Sri Lanka is available online.

US$20/30 for a normal 30 day visa (i didn't check but it was 20 and I think now 30). a two day transit visa is free.

Only issue I have had is when I selected medical rather than tourist.. That was US$55.

You'll save the visa fee in the difference in hotel / local transport cost.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[Cynicor]

Sri Lankan nose job, Fred?

 

[wandering_fred]

Sri Lankan nose job, Fred?

Close physiologically. Dental implants


Fred

 

[Cynicor]

Oh, so you actually are getting a medical procedure? I thought you meant it was accidentally chosen!

Good luck, if you haven't had them done yet.

 

[wandering_fred]

Oh, so you actually are getting a medical procedure? I thought you meant it was accidentally chosen!

Good luck, if you haven't had them done yet.

Implants completed Feb 2014. No complaints up to date.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[Durin's Bane]

Thanks for the additional advice guys.

Yeah it’s more than I wanted to pay, but for me the future OWE benefits are worth it, especially when flying as a family through ports that have F Lounges.

Fred, the CMB option was good, but being a city man myself I will leave it with HKG. Plus the CMB-KUL-PER one way in J was $1,544, so more than ex-BKK.

Chrizztofa, I would prefer the MH flight over Jetstar however the fare rules on MH on their website aren’t clear cut in my view (i.e. in relation to whether I can do PER-KUL-BKK-KUL-HKG routing), so will remain with Jetstar. At least I can use the QF lounge in Singapore in transit.

 

[Bogieman]

Unfortunately the Qantas lounge in Singapore does not open until 14:30 so you will need a plan B

 

[Durin's Bane]

Unfortunately the Qantas lounge in Singapore does not open until 14:30 so you will need a plan B

Might do a bit of a tour of Changi then! Transit is only 1.5 hours or so.

 

[Durin's Bane]

I just went to book the flights and would you believe the Promo Fares have doubled!! :evil:

Now looking at the other options discussed in this thread.

Moral of the story - if you see good deals grab them right away! I won't make the same mistake again...

 

[Durin's Bane]

Guys,

I managed to book the following (ex SIN still had the cheap promo fares)...

PER-SIN on JQ in Y (Plus Bundle) (25SC for $400)
SIN-KUL-HKG-KUL-SIN on MH in J (200SC for $800)
SIN-KUL-PER on MH in J (120SC for $1,200)

...over Easter long weekend. Not ideal but will get me close to what I need.

Thanks to everyone who provided advice.

DB.

 

[vitagen]

I don't understand why you don't do the Sin-Hkg J run twice and just go else cheapo Per-Sin-Per. You could have gotten 400SC for 1,600 + scoot there and back in a more comfortable 787 for say 350...

 

[Durin's Bane]

I don't understand why you don't do the Sin-Hkg J run twice and just go else cheapo Per-Sin-Per. You could have gotten 400SC for 1,600 + scoot there and back in a more comfortable 787 for say 350...

I did consider multiple intra-Asia status runs whilst using Scoot in and out of Perth. Problem for me is timing and being able to complete all the runs within a four day period. Plus the Scoot fares are more expensive for the Easter long weekend...

 

[Durin's Bane]

Guys,

I just got back yesterday from completing this status run. All went to plan with no issues. Some notes from the trip are below:

- This was my first Jetstar international trip, and it was fine but I found the seats to be far more uncomfortable than those in Y on Qantas. Will definitely consider using these guys again for positioning flights into SE Asia however.

- Since I was in transit for a few hours at Singapore Changi Airport on the way through to HKG, I thought I'd walk around and check out Terminal 3, which I have only breezed through in the past. Still the best airport in the world for me, though Terminal 1 is starting to get tired... (but then I compare with Perth International... sorry I digress...) The MH lounge was simple but quiet and with good wifi. The CX lounge was crowded and with poor food selection. The QFand BA lounges were closed in the morning.

- The new MH First Class / OWE Lounge in Kuala Lumpur had been refurnished recently. The last time I went through was January 2014 so this was my first experience. I was only one of three people in the lounge, and it was nice. Not to the hard product level of The Wing or Sydney QF First lounges however. The food was good, but again nothing like Sydney or Hong Kong. On a side note MH loungetoilets have a bad practice of using tissues for drying your hands, rather than towelettes or paper towels and it is a nuisance. At the least the F Lounge had a new hand dryer!

- MH flights throughout the trip were very good, with great service as normal (for me anyway) and good food. Considering the distance covered, destinations, and status earn, these J fares are top notch! To compare, these six MH J flights cost me about the same as a one way J fare PER to SYD.

- I stayed at Butterfly on Victoria in HKG, and it was great. Only $130 per night for a hotel which was essentially no frills but brand new and near a MTR station. Considering just a few months ago I stayed at the Hyatt Regency and paid almost $400 per night this was great value. I will be staying here in future (or one of the other Butterfly hotels).

- This was the first time I utilised the MTR extensively in HKG and it was superb. I went everywhere I needed to on this service and only needed a cab once. No more chauffeured cars or taxis for me to and from the airport, the Airport Express was quick, clean and cheap!

- I stayed at the Crowne Plaza near Changi Terminal 3, and it cost me around $250,a little more than what I wanted to pay but I had a 6:30am flight from Terminal 2 so was worth the convenience of staying near the airport.


Thanksagain to everyone who provided advice. As of last night the status credits for MH have started being credited and I just received an email from Qantas stating Platinum has been extended for another year.

Mission accomplished.

DB

 

[Chrizztofa]

Guys,

I just got back yesterday from completing this status run. All went to plan with no issues. Some notes from the trip are below:

- This was my first Jetstar international trip, and it was fine but I found the seats to be far more uncomfortable than those in Y on Qantas. Will definitely consider using these guys again for positioning flights into SE Asia however.

Glad I'm not the only one there. I flew to MEL on JQ a fortnight ago and struggled to get some sleep. In contrast I few to PER on VA last weekend and slept soundly both ways, even though they were both daytime flights.

- Since I was in transit for a few hours at Singapore Changi Airport on the way through to HKG, I thought I'd walk around and check out Terminal 3, which I have only breezed through in the past. Still the best airport in the world for me, though Terminal 1 is starting to get tired... (but then I compare with Perth International... sorry I digress...) The MH lounge was simple but quiet and with good wifi. The CX lounge was crowded and with poor food selection. The QFand BA lounges were closed in the morning.

My mum and I tried out the CX lounge at SIN in January (while waiting for the QF lounge to open) and we were both disappointed by the food offerings / amenities (although they were very diligent in ensuring nobody missed their flight). There's an (apparently little known) nook off to the side and up a flight of stairs which we found much quieter. I hope they upgrade it soon, I know it's an outstation lounge but so is the QF lounge (with fewer flights) and QF's is miles better, although extended opening hours wouldn't go amiss!

Glad it all went well! I'm off on my own Asia trip in a couple of weeks time so hope it goes as smoothly as yours did.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Great trip report/ status run .
Thanks for sharing & interesting learning some good value $ v SC options out of SIN to honkers.

 

[Durin's Bane]

Glad I'm not the only one there. I flew to MEL on JQ a fortnight ago and struggled to get some sleep. In contrast I few to PER on VA last weekend and slept soundly both ways, even though they were both daytime flights.

I have no trouble sleeping in Y on most airlines, but these JQ seats were atrocious!

My mum and I tried out the CX lounge at SIN in January (while waiting for the QF lounge to open) and we were both disappointed by the food offerings / amenities (although they were very diligent in ensuring nobody missed their flight). There's an (apparently little known) nook off to the side and up a flight of stairs which we found much quieter. I hope they upgrade it soon, I know it's an outstation lounge but so is the QF lounge (with fewer flights) and QF's is miles better, although extended opening hours wouldn't go amiss!

Glad it all went well! I'm off on my own Asia trip in a couple of weeks time so hope it goes as smoothly as yours did.

Good luck with your SC run!

 

[Durin's Bane]

Great trip report/ status run .
Thanks for sharing & interesting learning some good value $ v SC options out of SIN to honkers.

No probs! Fingers crossed we don't get any further changes from Qantas in relation to SC earn on these MH J flights...

FYI I may now need to go to China for work (via Hong Kong) in a few weeks, so will look at the good status runs out of PVG!